Thirty-seven children across the country have died from the flu this year, and experts think the real number could be double the official reports.

In California, at least 97 people under the age of 65 have died. As of early January, most of those deaths were unvaccinated adults, the state's Department of Health told Business Insider.

But this year has not yet reached the pandemic levels of 2009.

It's been deadly, but this season is not a pandemic.

Flu viruses can shift rapidly, making them harder to vaccinate and tough to predict from year to year. That's part of the reason drug makers have such a tough time coming up with a "universal" vaccine for the flu that would protect you for life.

What counts as an "epidemic" changes a little from season to season - and even week to week - but the CDC's latest numbers indicate we've reached epidemic levels, meaning the flu is spreading quickly and leading to more fatal cases than usually expected.

Aussie flu symptoms: 'Immunity to one flu strain does not give you immunity to the other'

AUSSIE flu has contributed to a high number of flu-related hospital admissions in the UK this winter, with symptoms being described as the same as normal flu but more severe. But if you've already had flu this season it doesn't necessarily mean you're immune from all strains.

February 3, 2018

Aussie flu - the H3N2 strain of the influenza virus - is one of the main strains of flu causing havoc in Britain this year.

The other is Yamagata flu - nicknamed Japanese flu.

Symptoms of Aussie flu are similar to those of normal flu but more severe and include a sudden fever, aching body and a dry, chesty cough.

But for those unlucky enough to have experienced the symptoms, catching the flu for a second time in the same season is a possibility.

Dr Sarah Jarvis explained about the body's immunity to the flu virus and why catching the flu again isn't out of the question.

She said: "If you've had real flu, not a 'touch of flu' - you've been laid up completely with a temperature above 39C, aching all over in muscles you didn't know existed, suffered with a harsh dry racking cough, felt as weak as a kitten, been physically unable to get out of bed - then you'll have natural immunity now to that virus.

"The only thing to point out is having immunity to one flu virus does not give you immunity to another.

"There are several strains circulating and two main ones this year [Aussie flu and Yamagata flu] which seem to be causing hospital admissions.

"Technically if you've had one you are at risk of getting the second one."

For those looking forward to the end of flu season, Dr Sarah Jarvis says it's likely the virus could stick around until March.

She said: "I reckon we've got a good few weeks to go. Cases are still on the rise but the rise does seem to be tailing off.

"We've got over twice as many people in this year to see GPs as we had in the same time last year. The rise is definitely starting to flatten off, and what we do know is, given that we are still two, three times normal levels, it's got a long way to go before it drops back to a really low level.

Having had this year's flu, it appears that the news exceeds the facts. It i ordinary influenza, and the number of fatalities is just a small fraction of one percent of the total cases. I have noticed that the noise from sneezing, etc. is less this year, when one would expect more, than last year, which was not put forth as a bad year for flu.

Having immunity to one flu virus does not give you immunity to another

^ That's Pure Genius. You can get a flu shot and still croak or get the flu real bad and the $billion dollar pharmaceutical

industry will just say - "You got a different flu virus. It's hit or miss."

And then the crooked liars will say: In California, at least 97 people under the age of 65 have died. As of early January, most of those deaths were unvaccinated adults, the state's Department of Health told Business Insider.

But anyway, 30% of sheeple roll up their sleeves to get jabbed. That's 11.6 million Canadians. Probably a hundred million Yanks getting

flu shots - but not one of them knows that for every hundred people that get the flu shot,

only one would avoid getting the flu. And if 30% of people get flu shots, then "herd immunity" is zero,

so the whole flu shot thing is a giant scam, a tax on people who can't do math. A tax on their health,

because flu shots contribute to the skyrocketing number of alzheimers disease and dementia as the sheeple age.

Is it true unvaccinated people in California mainly got the flu? Nope. That's a total lie. It is true

that poverty and poor nutrition result in people getting the flu more often, but also just going among

other people in winter time will do it. So stay home in January. How difficult can that be?

Fact remains, that in early 20th Century, scientists studying vaccine caused illness discovered that vaccines introduce foreign proteins into blood that creates histamine reactions that they called "allergies" or "allergy".

'ALL HANDS ON DECK': Sen. Edward J. Markey listens to Dr. David Hooper during a press conference yesterday at Massachusetts General Hospital, where the senator called for $1 billion in funding for a universal flu vaccine.

'ALL HANDS ON DECK': Sen. Edward J. Markey listens to Dr. David Hooper during a press conference yesterday at Massachusetts General Hospital, where the senator called for $1 billion in funding for a universal flu vaccine.

Massachusetts General Hospital, hosting yesterday's press conference, has already seen 10 deaths and 150 hospitalizations related to the flu this season. Statewide, officials have recorded 5,708 confirmed influenza cases since October - and 1,646 just this week.

"We still fall so short in our response to this annual menace," Markey said. "Flu season shouldn't be Groundhog's Day for our universal health community."

A universal vaccine - which would cost taxpayers $200 million a year - would be able to treat multiple mutating strains of virus, doctors said.

And Markey said he expects Republicans in the House and Senate will recognize the dire need for a universal vaccine.

"I feel very confident that I can reach across the aisle, find Republican support, and begin to find a dedicated way to give support to these researchers," he said.

Dr. David Hooper, Mass General's chief of infection control, said, "This is the worst flu season I've seen in a number of years."

Hooper also pointed out the surge in influenza cases is taking place well before the peak of the traditional flu season, saying, "We're only partway there yet."

And a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report detailing the week ending Jan. 27 shows it's the same nationwide. Last week, 1 of every 14 visits to doctors and clinics were for symptoms of the flu, according to the report. That's the highest level since the 2009 H1N1 swine flu pandemic sickened millions of people worldwide.

Forty-two states reported high patient traffic for the flu, up from 39 the week before.

The strain known as Type A, H3N2, accounts for most of the cases doctors have seen this year. The fact that it's a bad match for the flu shot is making matters worse.

"It's less effective than some of the earlier vaccine matches," Hooper said of this year's vaccine, adding that it has been "all hands on deck" at MGH, where there have been 90 documented cases of influenza of hospital staff since October.

The flu has hit the Bay State hardest on the North and South Shores, the South Coast, and the immediate Metro West area, according to state data.

Doctors are urging people who haven't been vaccinated to get a flu shot as a primary precaution. To prevent spreading the virus they also recommend diligent hand-washing and staying home and resting if you think you're coming down with the flu.